Forced for the first time in its 27-year history to cancel its spring concert, the California Desert Chorale gave a virtual performance of “Anthem,” from Chess, by Benny Anderson, Tim Rice, and Bjorn Ulvaeus and arranged by John Purifoy. “The technical aspects of putting this together were challenging for many in the chorale, as we…

As the COVID-19 crisis set in, Jacalyn Lopez Garcia, a La Quinta–based transmedia storyteller, postponed events at her family-owned and operated Goldie’s Farm Artist Retreat and Spiritual Healing Center in a West Shore neighborhood of the Salton Sea, and was suddenly faced with time to work on new and back-burner art projects.“I enjoy challenging audiences…

Twenty-six visual artists, musicians, authors, graphic designers, and other creative professionals earned grants from the California Desert Arts Council (CDAC) in May to “Keep Arts Alive,” an initiative to provide financial support to Coachella Valley artists affected by and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Established by CDAC and La Quinta Arts Foundation, the $50,000 fund…

During the COVID-19 shutdown, Palm Springs-based artist JC MacQueen found inspiration for new work right at his feet — the pavement, actually. His new series of photographs focus on the shadows, stains, and detritus he finds on the concrete sidewalks and surfaces. “The photographs are then exaggerated to figures, landscapes, and phantasms for the viewer…

Victoria Montes, a part-time artist and full-time teacher of severely handicapped third- and fourth-grade students in the Coachella Valley Unified School District, is using her shelter-at-home time to reflect on her community. “The Coachella Valley is a rich and diverse place,” she says. “I decided to paint Facets as a tribute to the differences that…

As an artist, Donna Miller-Haggerty of Palm Desert strives to create works that stems from her heart as well as her environment. “My most recent paintings were made to inspire positive thoughts and hope during these uncertain and difficult times,” she says of pieces like Inside Looking Out, a watercolor and collage that illustrates the…

“I am not built for the apocalypse,” writer Rob Bowman concedes in his new essay, “What We Sow.” “Narrow shoulders and skinny arms. I spend most of my time reading and writing and teaching reading and writing. My nails never have dirt under them and my palms are very soft, so soft that my wife…

During the COVID-19 shutdown, muralist John Cuevas set out to help local restaurants adapting their operations to continue feeding their communities — and his efforts earned him a $500 grant to “Keep Art Alive” from the California Desert Arts Council (CDAC). CDAC and affiliate La Quinta Arts Foundation established a $50,000 Keep Art Alive fund…

A fixture on the Coachella Valley art scene, Adam Enrique Rodriguez is known for his street art — he created murals at Desert Trip, Rhythm Wine and Brews, and Joshua Tree Music Festival — and his followers on social media know he’s equally adept at painting landscapes as well as scathing political caricatures. When COVID-19…